tHe role oF politeness 111
who neglect politeness issues may unintentionally introduce messages
that threaten learner face. On the other hand, learners may respond
negatively to politeness strategies that they consider inappropriate, for
example when the computer appears to be giving deliberately vague
responses in order to avoid losing face. But overall politeness issues are
an important aspect of the design of interfaces for educational soft-
ware, and if addressed properly they can result in improved learner
performance and improved learner attitudes and motivation.
References
André, E., Rist, T., and Müller, J. (1998). Guiding the user through dynami-
cally generated hypermedia presentations with a life-like character.
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